Album 1, Part 7 (pages 25-28)
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Back: Ed, Don, Larue, Front: Bob, Bert
On vacation in the upper peninsula of Michigan, Link
to map
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Bob, Larue, Bert in side yard of 3149
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Larue, Don, Bert, Bob with Grandparents home in background
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The Lindberg grandparents home was in Ishpeming Michigan at the edge of of a small lake. Grandfather John used fill to create the back yard, which Grandmother Hedwig turned into a beautiful flower garden. Grandpa built a 3' x 3' pier at the edge of the garden so he could fish. Early one cold morning Bert and Larue were in the garden and Bert went to the end of the pier to pretend to fish. (If you have time, you should jump now to a more complete, humorous and heartwarming version of this story told by Larue in an article she wrote for the Guadalupe newspaper). Somehow he lost his balance and fell in. The water was deep and he was sinking fast into the muck of the lake bottom. He made no noise except for the splash when he went in. Larue heard it and was scared to death at his wide-eyed fright and fast sinking. Fortunately, there was half of an old jump rope with a wooden handle still attached. She threw the handle end to Bert and after several tries Bert was able to grab it. Larue pulled him to safety. Both were scared and shaken. Dot and Grandma were informed of the mishap. They brought Bert into the house, stripped him, bathed him in a warm bath and put him to bed to get thoroughly warmed. |
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Bert and Larue in a cold, cold Michigan river
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Don, Bert and Larue in the river. Note the full-body, wool, bathing suits.
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Dot, Ed, Hedwig, John, Harvey & Astrid Grandchamp (pronounced Grawshaw) during 1938 vacation.
Astrid is Ed's sister and was visiting the Ishpeming homestead from Duluth, Minnesota
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Larue, Bob pumping, Ed, and Bert drinking
at a stop on this trip to Ishpeming in 1938
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Don, Bob, Bert, Dot and Larue at this or another stop
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Bob, Don, Larue, Bert
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Another stop: Don, Ed, Dot, Bert, Dorothy R., Bob; Larue taking picture.
Dorothy died a few months later in 1937.
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Bert ("Cow's Tail", name given by Ed) in foreground, trailing behind Bob, Larue, and Ed
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Car overheated going up a long incline on the way for a lake swim.
Other relatives were at the lake waiting. Larue and Don at left.
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After arriving at lake. To make it, everyone got out of the car to lighten the
load and then pushed.
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Families at the lake. Back row: Dot, Hedwig, John, and May Lindberg, widow of
Ed's brother Vinton.
In sand: Larue, Bob, May's Marion & John, Bert, and Don. John and Bert were
the same age and like twins.
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Picnic lunch; front bench: Hedwig, John, Bert, and Don;
far bench: John, May, Marion, Larue, Ed, and Bob.
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Larue, Bob, Don, Bert, Ed on earlier trip, circa 1935, lunch stop in school yard
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In back of same school. Model A Ford
Don, Dot, Bert, Bob, Larue
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These trips of about 380 miles through Wisconsin to the upper peninsula of Michigan took 16 hours. Link to map. On this 1935 trip in the Model A Ford, Don, Larue and Bob would squeeze into the back seat (next time you see a Model A take a look at how small the back seat is -- barely room for two adults) while Ed drove and Bert sat on Dot's lap in the front seat. When Dot needed a rest from Bert's weight (and wiggling), Bert would get into the back seat, making 4 people in a seat very small for two. There was a lot of pain and complaining involved, especially with Bert's squirming and getting sleepy. The larger car on the 1938 trip shown a few pictures back was still cramped but a definite improvement. Dot worked hard at making the trips fun and special. She would pack a huge lunch basket with all of our favorite sandwiches, and a couple of "at no other time" candy bars as a special treat for each person. There was also as much fruit as we wanted and always a home made chocolate cake (no mixes in those days). Ed liked mustard on his sandwiches. No one else did. This basket of food was one of the main events of the family vacations. Otherwise food was always rationed. |
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Back to the 1938 school yard lunch stop, with Bert enjoying his treat.
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Marion, May, and John Lindberg
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May and Dot, although living about 400 miles apart, had a special bond that lasted until Dot's death at age 85 in 1981. When Larue wrote the first draft of these notes, March 1997, May was still alive in her 90s and living in Marquette Michigan in a big house that she ran as a boarding house for male students of Marquette University. This she did after retiring from teaching in Little Lake Michigan near Ishpeming. At that time she was still corresponding with Larue (age 72) with loving, bright, informative letters. |